Lionel Messi is set to take on his former club Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in a highly anticipated FIFA Club World Cup Round of 16 clash this Sunday in Atlanta.
The match promises to be one of the tournament’s most talked-about encounters as Messi leads his current team, Inter Miami, against the newly crowned European champions.
The tie carries strong emotional undertones, with Messi, Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets all having played under PSG’s current manager, Luis Enrique, during their legendary stint at Barcelona. That same core famously engineered a historic comeback to knock PSG out of the 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League, a memory that still lingers in football folklore.
Inter Miami booked their place in the knockout round after a 2-2 draw against Brazilian club Palmeiras, finishing second in Group A. Suarez, at 38, showed flashes of his enduring class by scoring Miami’s second goal in that fixture. The result, however, exposed defensive frailties that may be punished by a PSG side brimming with confidence and attacking depth.
Speaking after the game, Suarez acknowledged the uphill task his team faces. “If we make these mistakes against PSG, we will pay a heavy price,” he said. “We know they are the favourites. But we have to take our chances when they come. Luis Enrique shaped my competitive edge even more, he knows us well.”
Meanwhile, PSG arrives in Atlanta with renewed belief and redemption on their minds. Under Enrique’s tactical guidance, the French club finally lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy this season, putting to rest the ghosts of their infamous 6-1 loss to Barcelona in 2017, when Messi, Suarez, and Enrique were on the opposite side.
